Articles by Michele Goldberg

Flying Under the Radar

Pharma companies are overlooking the importance of training for regional managers and directors. What they don't realize might hurt them in the long run.
May 1, 2006
By: Michele Goldberg, Laura Ramos

Former GE CEO Jack Welch's no frills—and sometimes cutthroat—approach to business helped him make General Electric a $400-billion company by the end of his tenure in 2001. Though criticized for his desire to make GE a more competitive company, Welch is probably most admired for his leadership style. The CEO enjoyed tailored suits, private jets, and an eight-figure salary per year, but that didn't stop him from sitting face-to-face with a team of 15, 150, or 1,500 employees to talk about what they needed to do to make GE a better company. He knew the value of his team and customers, and he knew that strong leadership made for strong employees.

In Sales We Trust

The survey reveals a shift toward sales volume—and away from training and competencies—as performance metrics.
Jan 1, 2005
By: Michele Goldberg, Bob Davenport

The average salary for all levels of pharmaceutical reps is $62,400 with another $19,300 in cash bonuses, up from a base salary of $53,800 in 2001.

PE's Annual Sales and Marketing Employment Survey: The Big Squeeze

Sales forces are still growing, says a new survey. compensation is up. But incentive pay has been shrinking.
Jan 1, 2004
By: Michele Goldberg, Tiffany Mortellito, Bob Davenport

In spite of pharmaceutical employers' best intentions to the contrary, sales rep compensation is being squeezed in a vise that is gradually narrowing the gaps between what top, average, and bottom performers are earning. According to the Hay Group's Pharmaceutical Sales Force Effectiveness Study, co-sponsored by Pharmaceutical Executive, reps in the 90th percentile are earning just 40 percent more than the average performer. This is not to suggest that reps aren't being paid handsomely (they are), but that the pay-for-performance model is showing signs of weakness.

Trainers' Task: Do More with Less

A benchmarking study finds that, despite the need, companies are not increasing their training investment.
Oct 1, 2003
By: Laura Ramos, Michele Goldberg

Although the number of pharma sales representatives has been moving toward 90,000 for several years, sales and training organizations are still feeling the aftershocks of the industrywide expansion.

When Will the Bubble Burst?

Despite a struggling economy, Pharma companies continue to raise the rewards for sales reps and product managers.
Jan 1, 2003
By: Michele Goldberg, Tiffany Mortellito, Bob Davenport

Years ago, a cereal maker ran a commercial in which children who'd eaten oatmeal for breakfast floated to school, snug in a protective bubble of warmth. Today, the same imagery comes to mind with respect to the country's 85,000 pharmaceutical salespeople.

Money Can't Buy Love: Annual Sales and Marketing Employment Survey

Mar 1, 2002
By: Michele Goldberg, Tiffany Mortellito, Bob Davenport

Last year's average turnover among general physician sales reps was 19 percent-up 2 percent from 2000-making retention the number one human resource issue for pharmaceutical companies today. Industry employers are discovering that despite all the resources